1993 Mercedes-Benz SL 500

Mercedes-Benz introduced the 300 SL 'Gullwing' in 1954 and began the sport Leicht series that has continued to be Mercedes-Benz's flagship sports car. The legacy included the 'Pagodas' of the 1960s and the long-running W107 range of the 1970s and 1980s. At the 1989 Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz introduced the fourth-generation SL, dubbed the R129 in Stuttgart's internal coding system, and brought aerodynamic styling with safety features and high-tech luxury. A new feature was the innovative automatic roll bar, activated in a split second in the event of a rollover and one of the first seen on any passenger car. An electro-hydraulic system was used for the folding roof, and at the touch of button took just 30 seconds to raise or lower. Additionally, the SL came with a removable aluminum hardtop, complete with heated rear glass.

When the R129SL line was introduced, trim levels included the six-cylinder 300SL and the top-of-the-line 500SL equipped with a 32-valve DOHC V8 motor.

The SL range was re-badged in 1993 with the 500SL becoming the SL500. The suspension was completely new, consisting of a sophisticated five-arm multi-link set-up at the rear with an Adaptive Damping System, and ABS became standard on all models. The interior was luxurious and well-appointed with leather upholstery, airbags, electric seats, a Bose sound system, electric windows, a wind deflector, and automatic climate control.

The 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL500 coupe/roadster had a base price of around $84,000 and was powered by a dual-overhead-camshaft eight-cylinder engine with an aluminum-alloy block. It displaced 304 cubic-inches and came with a Bosch KE 5 CIS multi-point fuel injection system and was backed by a four-speed automatic transmission. Disc brakes were at all four wheels.

With the SL500 and the SL range of sports cars, Mercedes-Benz was a world leader in their class, offering performance and luxury in the best Mercedes-Benz tradition.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2020